Shoe tree or form.



W. H. B-AYNARD.

SHOE TREE 0R FORM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9. 1909.

Patented Nov. 30,1909.

tinirnn STATES PATENT or WILLIAM H. BAYNARD, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO A. E. LITTLE &

COMPANY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS,

A FIRM.

SHOE TREE OR FORM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 19(19.

Application filed August 9, 1909. Serial No. 511,875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM H. BAYNARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Sufiollg'State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shoe Trees or Forms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a shoe-tree or form designed for use in keeping a shoe in shape when not in use.

In accordance with my invention the fore part and heel part of the tree are connected by a hinge whereby the heel part may be tipped relative to the fore part, to provide for ready insertion in the shoe and removal therefrom. I have also provided means whereby the longitudinally to provide for shoes of different lengths, the construction of the device as a whole being simple, strong and light in weight.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shoe-tree or form embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail in side elevation of the adjustable hinge connection between the heel and fore parts, with such parts in section, and showing the connection unlocked, with the heel part swung up. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the hinge or pivotal connection and adjacent portions of the heel and fore parts. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the pivotalconnection, detached, and in the same relative position as is illustrated in Fig. 2.

In the drawing, H is the heel part and F is the fore part of a shoe-tree or form of usual character, the heel part being shown in Fig. 1 as provided with a swinging bail or handle it, of suitable construction, to facilitate the manipulation of the device, said handle being adapted to swing down into dotted line position when the tree is in the shoe. A deep, longitudinal and threaded hole 1 is bored in the face of the heel part to receive a threaded spindle 2 fixedly at tachcd to and extended from a plate 3 forming one member of the pivotal or hinge connection, said member 3 being made of plate finger-piece, the locking shoe-tree can be easily adjusted metal and provided with laterally separated eyes 4. The other member 5 of said connection, apertured at 6 and 7 Fig. 4, for a purpose to be described, is provided with alined and slightly separated eyes 8, which enter between the eyes 4, a pivot pin or pintle 9 uniting the two members of'the connection so that one member can swing relatively to the other member. I prefer to make a tight or driving fit between the eyes 4 and the pintle, to thereby retain the latter in place, the eyes 8 turning freely on said pintle.

Between the eyes 8 I pivot on the pintle a locking bar or arm 10, shown as an elongated, fiat piece of metal, preferably enlarged at its free end, at 11, to constitute a adapted to seat in a longitudinal slot or seat 12 formed in the top of the heel part, as herein shown.

The member 5 of the hinge connection is fixedly secured to the fore part of the tree by a relatively large screw 13, which is tightly set up in the wood and in axial alinement with the spindle 2 when the shoe-tree is straightened as shown in Fig. 1. The member 5 rests upon the face of the fore part F, and it is prevented from turning by a small pin or brad 14 driven into the wood through the aperture 7 in member 5, the aperture 6 being countersunk to receive the head of the attaching screw 13.

When the tree is straightened the members 3 and 5 abut one against the other and retain the heel and fore parts in proper position, the pintle or pivot 9 lying substantially in the plane of the top of the fore part. Normally the locking member or arm 10 is seated in the recess or slot 12, and as it is eccentric to the spindle 2 there cannot be any relative movement of the heel part upon said spindle.

In order to change the length of the tree the locking member 10 is swung up clear of its seat or slot 12, and the heel part H is revolved on the spindle in one direction or the other to thereby move it toward or away from the member 3 of the pivotal connection or coupling, and as will be apparent, the length of the shoe-tree as a whole will be increased or diminished, as desired, to properly fit the shoe. After the adjustment is effected the locking member 10 is moved back into its seat 12 and the heel and fore parts are locked in longitudinally admember being usted position. The locking device does not interfere in any way with the swinging movement of one part of the tree relatively to the other, and by making a snug fit be tween the locking member 10 and its seat 12 said parts will remain in looking engagement unless unlocked positively. The construotion of the adjustable hinge connection or coupling is simple and effective, it is easily made and is very light in weight.

Changes or modifications in details of construction and arrangement may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claims hereto annexed.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shoe-tree or form comprising a fore part and a heel part, a pivotal connection between them, means to vary the effective length of the tree by relative rotation of the fore and heel parts, and a locking device to prevent such rotative movement and thereby maintain the fore and heel parts in longitudinal adjustment while permitting swinging movement of one relatively to the other.

2. A shoe-tree or form comprising a fore part and a heel part, a transverse pivotal connection between them, means to vary the effective length of the tree by axial rotation of one of its parts relatively to said connection, and means to lock said part from such axial rotation and maintain the longitudinal adjustment of the tree.

3. A shoe-tree or form comprising a fore part and a heel part, a pivotal connection fixedly attached to one and having a longitudinally adjustable connection with the other of said parts, to vary the efiective length of the tree, and means to positively lock such latter part of the tree and the pivotal connection in adjusted relation.

4. A shoe-tree or form comprising a fore part and a heel part, a transverse hinge connection between them, fixedly attached to one of said parts, the other part having a longitudinal, threaded hole therein, a threaded spindle fixedly secured to the hinge con nection and adapted to screw into said hole, whereby rotation of one part of the tree relatively to the other part will vary the effective length of the tree, and means to lock the parts from relative rotation.

5. A shoe-tree or form comprising a fore part and a heel part, a hinge connection therebetween comprising a member fixedly secured to one of said parts, a pivotally connected member having a threaded spindle rigidly extended therefrom, and a swinging, locking arm fulcrumed on the pivot of the hinge connection, the other part of the tree having a longitudinal, threaded hole in its face and a longitudinal locking seat in its top, to receive the locking arm, the spindle being adapted to screw into the threaded hole.

6. A shoe-tree or form comprising a fore part and a heel part, one of said parts having a longitudinal, threaded hole in its face, a transverse pivotal connection fixedly attached to one of said parts and having a threaded spindle to screw into the hole in the other part, whereby rotation of such part will move it longitudinally of the spindle, and means to normally lock such part from rotation on the spindle while permitting relative swinging movement of the heel and fore parts.

7. A shoe-tree or form comprising a fore part and a heel part, and a hinge connection therefor comprising two members having transversely-alined eyes, a pintle extended through said eyes to pivotally connect the members, a threaded spindle fixedly secured to and extended at right angles from one of said members and removably screwed into one of the parts of the tree, the other member of the hinge connection being permanently and fixedly secured to the other part of the tree, and a locking arm fulcrumed on the pintle.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM H. BAY IARD. lVitnesses F. N. BASSETT, LILLIAN S. SAUNDERS. 

